Nootbaar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
Nootbaar had the Cardinals' only multi-hit effort Sunday, and his homer was one of two extra-base hits for the team. He's had a decent September, going 13-for-36 (.361) with five extra-base hits, eight RBI and two stolen bases over 13 contests despite seeing fewer opportunities versus left-handed pitchers. For the year, he's up to 10 homers, 37 RBI, 32 runs scored and seven steals while slashing .248/.340/.406 across 97 games.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Out of lineup against southpaw
Rotowire
Nootbaar is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.
Nootbaar had started every game since Aug. 20, but Wednesday marks just the second time the Cardinals have faced a lefty over that stretch. He'll begin the game on the bench as a result, with fellow left-handed hitter Alec Burleson also exiting the starting nine.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Records another steal
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Nootbaar went 1-for-2 with two walks, one RBI and one stolen base in Wednesday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Brewers.
Nootbaar has swiped a bag in consecutive contests, and he's up to seven steals on eight attempts this year. His bat has also come around lately -- the outfielder is on a nine-game hitting streak, going 12-for-33 (.364) in that span. Nootbaar is up to a .247/.334/.401 slash line nine home runs, 35 RBI and 30 runs scored across 333 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Swipes bag Tuesday
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 2-for-5 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 7-4 extra-innings win over the Brewers.
Nootbaar is locked in at the plate, going 19-for-60 (.317) over his last 17 games, a span in which he's been held hitless just twice. His steal Tuesday was his first since Aug. 1. The outfielder has regained a starting role in left field amid his hot stretch, with Alec Burleson at designated hitter, Jordan Walker in right field and Brendan Donovan at second base most frequently. Nootbaar is now at a .245/.329/.400 slash line with nine home runs, 34 RBI, 30 runs scored and six steals over 87 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Career-high five RBI
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and five total RBI in Sunday's 14-7 win over the Yankees.
In an at-bat with the bases loaded and two out in the seventh, Nootbaar came through with a go-ahead, bases-clearing double to give the Cardinals a 10-7 lead. Nootbaar then iced the game with a two-run blast in the ninth inning, his first long ball since Aug. 18. The 26-year-old racked up a career-high five RBI on Sunday, the first game this season he has totaled more than two RBI. After the career day, Nootbaar now owns a .239 average with nine home runs, 34 RBI, 30 runs scored and five stolen bases in 85 games this season.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The left-handed hitting Nootbaar will take a seat as the Dodgers use southpaw Justin Wrobleski as their starting pitcher. It will be Tommy Pham in left field and Jordan Walker in right field for St. Louis.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Not facing lefty
Rotowire
Nootbaar is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.
The lefty-hitting Nootbaar started in center field against left-hander Justin Steele in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs, but he'll hit the bench Monday as the Cardinals match up against another southpaw (Sean Manaea). The freshly recalled Victor Scott will pick up the start in center Monday and will be flanked by Tommy Pham in left field and Alec Burleson in right field.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Getting night off
Rotowire
Nootbaar is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar will rest Friday after starting six consecutive games, yielding to Dylan Carlson in right field. Nootbaar is 6-for-20 with a solo home run and a double since the All-Star break.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Goes yard Sunday
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-2 win over Atlanta.
This was Nootbaar's second homer in 10 games since he returned from an oblique injury. The outfielder is batting .256 and slugging .462 in that span while posting a 2:8 BB:K. For the season, he's at a .239/.328/.417 slash line with seven homers, 21 RBI, 18 runs scored and four stolen bases through 205 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Logs steal in nightcap
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 1-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in a 9-5 win over Atlanta in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
The outfielder collected three hits on the day after going 2-for-3 with a walk in a 3-2 loss in the matinee. Nootbaar is batting .250 with a home run and two doubles across nine games since he returned from an oblique injury that cost him more than five weeks. For the season, Nootbaar is slashing .237/.325/.401 with six homers, four steals, 20 RBI, 17 runs scored, nine doubles and a triple over 201 plate appearances. He's operated as the Cardinals' top right fielder since his return, though he occasionally shifts over to center when Michael Siani is out of the lineup.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Remaining on rehab assignment
Rotowire
Nootbaar (oblique) will remain on his rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield for at least a couple more days to work on his timing at the plate, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
The initial expectation was that Nootbaar would rejoin the Cardinals on the road for their weekend series against the Nationals, but he's evidently not satisfied with his swing and will work to fine-tune things for a bit longer. It now seems likely that Nootbaar will return July 9 when the Cardinals are back home.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Beginning assignment Friday
Rotowire
Nootbaar (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Nootbaar said he expects his rehab assignment to last roughly six games, which would put him in line to return to the active roster July 5 for the beginning of St. Louis' series with the Nationals. The 26-year-old outfielder has spent nearly a month on the injured list after straining his left oblique during a game in late May.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Could play rehab games this weekend
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday that Nootbaar (oblique) could begin a rehab assignment as soon as this weekend, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar hit in the batting cage Monday and then took on-field batting practice Tuesday for the first time since suffering a strained left oblique in late May. It's not clear how many rehab games he might require, but a return from the 10-day injured list in early July appears doable.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Rehab assignment getting closer
Rotowire
Nootbaar (oblique) is tracking toward beginning a rehab assignment soon, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Nootbaar has been shelved since late May with a left oblique strain but appears close to being ready to play in games. The outfielder shouldn't need too many rehab games in the minors since he's been on the injured list for just over three weeks. A return before the All-Star break is likely.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Nearly ready to take swings
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday that Nootbaar (oblique) continues to take part in "rotational work" and could resume swinging a bat this weekend, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The Cardinals will presumably ease Nootbaar into swinging by having him hit off a tee or hit soft-toss throws before he eventually gains clearance to hit against higher-velocity pitching. In addition to being able to hit without discomfort, Nootbaar, who has been on the injured list since May 31 with a left oblique strain, will also need to prove that the injury doesn't compromise him when he runs the bases or plays the outfield. He still appears to be at least a couple weeks away from being a realistic option to rejoin the Cardinals, and Nootbaar will presumably need to go out on a minor-league rehab assignment prior to being activated.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Exits with apparent side issue
Rotowire
Nootbaar was removed in the bottom of the eighth inning of Wednesday's game against the Reds with an apparent left side injury, John Denton of MLB.com reports. He went 2-for-4 with a pair of base hits before being lifted from the game.
Nootbaar grimaced on a check swing during a plate appearance in the seventh inning. He initially remained in the game after reaching on an infield single before eventually being pulled prior to the bottom of the eighth inning. The Cardinals could have more information on Nootbaar's condition after the game.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Returns to lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Nootbaar (hamstring) will start in right field and bat second in Tuesday's game in Cincinnati.
Nootbaar missed two starts after tweaking his hamstring in Saturday's game against the Cubs, but he worked out prior to Monday's contest and is ready to roll Tuesday. The 26-year-old has a 1.096 OPS with two homers over his last eight games.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Takes part in light running Monday
Rotowire
Nootbaar (hamstring) hit in the batting cage and did some light running prior to Monday's game against the Reds, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Nootbaar tweaked his hamstring while legging out a triple in Saturday's game against the Cubs and has since sat out the last two games. The outfielder told Denton that he should be ready to return to the lineup whenever the Cardinals give him the green light. The Cardinals are slated to face a left-hander starter Tuesday and have an off day Thursday, factors which could weigh into their decision as to when to reinsert Nootbaar into the lineup.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Remains out Monday
Rotowire
Nootbaar (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game in Cincinnati.
Nootbaar was a late scratch from Sunday's lineup due to a hamstring issue. With tough left-hander Nick Lodolo on the mound for the Reds on Monday, it makes sense to hold Nootbaar out again. Cincinnati does another another southpaw scheduled to start Tuesday in Andrew Abbott, so it's possible Nootbaar could remain out until Wednesday. For what it's worth, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday of Nootbaar's injury that "we don't see it lingering," per John Denton of MLB.com. Dylan Carlson will be in right field Monday.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Racks up three hits Saturday
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 3-for-5 with a triple, one RBI, one stolen base and one run scored in Saturday's 7-6 win over the Cubs.
Nootbaar had gone 1-for-8 during the Cardinals' three-game series versus the Orioles earlier in the week. He broke out of the short slump with a strong Saturday that included an RBI triple, which gave St. Louis a big enough lead for the win. The outfielder doesn't offer a ton of speed -- the triple was his first of the year to go with three steals. He's added a .227/.338/.409 slash line with five home runs, 19 RBI and 14 runs scored over 155 plate appearances.
